It was only a Joke
by islashlove
Summary: While sitting in the hospital, Megan reflects on how one of her pranks had turned deadly. Death Story


**Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is from Drake and Josh. **

**Beta: Yes, I would like to say thank you to my Beta jerseybelle for all her hard work.**

**Warning: Death of a main character.**

**Author's Notes: ****This story is the response to a one word challenge from the Facebook group Fanfiction .net Writer's Unite. The word this week is Harmless****.**

**Story Notes: while sitting in the hospital, Megan reflects on how one of her pranks had turned deadly.**

**It was only a Joke**

**Chapter 1: A Harmless Little Joke.**

"It was only a joke. A harmless little joke. No one was supposed to have gotten hurt."

The nurse gave the young teenager beside her a concerned look. Ever since the young girl and her family had been brought into the ER that is all she had mumbled. That it was only a joke. But what did she mean and what was the joke. Just then, the doctor walked in.

"Good evening, young lady. My name is Doctor Luke and yours is ..."

"It was only a joke."

The doctor raised an eye brow and looked at the attending nurse, who just shrugged her shoulders.

"It's all that she said since being brought in. That it was just a joke and that no one should have been hurt."

"And her family?"

"They were all brought in. Car accident. The mother and our young friend here, were they only ones still conscious."

"Where's the mother?"

"Treatment room 4."

The doctor nodded at the nurse then gave the girl another quick look over before leaving.

The doctor walked through the curtain into treatment room 4. Sitting on the bed was a middle aged woman. She had cuts to her forehead and over her arms; she was cradling her left arm that looked like it could have been broken.

Picking up the chart on the bed, he read the lady's name. "Mrs. Nichols?"

"Yes, Doctor. Can you tell me anything about my children and husband, please?"

"In a moment, can you give me their names?"

"Sure, there is my husband, Walter Nichols. My sons, Josh Nichols and Drake Parker and my daughter, Megan Parker." Audrey could see the confusion on the Doctor's face, so she explained the name difference. Drake and Megan are from my first marriage and Josh is my step-son.

"Ahh. I will have to find out what has happened to your sons and husband, but your daughter is in treatment room 1. She won't talk to anyone, just keeps repeating that it was a joke. Do you know what she means?"

"No," Audrey said shaking her head. "We were driving down the road when Walter shouted out, 'spider'. The next thing I knew, the car was spinning and then a loud bang and everything went black. Can I see Megan?"

"After you have had that arm ex-rayed and if broken, in plaster. She's safe until then and we can't do much without you present anyway.

Half an hour later, the doctor returned to treatment room 1 with Audrey Nichols following.

"Any change?" he asked the nurse who just shook her head. The doctor looked over to Audrey, who nodded her head and then she walked over to Megan.

"Megan, darling," Audrey said as she brushed Megan's hair out of her face. Megan just turned and looked at her mum through tear filled eyes, but those eyes also had a haunted look in them.

"Mum, I'm sorry. It was just supposed to be a joke. A harmless little joke."

"What was? What was just a joke?"

"The spider. I put it in Josh's school bag, but it must have gotten out. I don't know how it got on Dad. I really don't. It was in Josh's school bag in his and Drake's room and ..."

"Whoa, Megan, slow down. What do you mean you put the spider in Josh's school bag?"

"I was playing a joke. Just a stupid, practical joke. Josh was supposed to pick up his bag and get a fright. I never meant this to happen."

"Megan, why? Why would you do that to Josh?"

"He...he wouldn't give me the TV remote last night and I...I just thought...I'm don't know. All my other jokes have worked and no one ever got hurt before."

"So young lady, you're telling me that you brought a dangerous spider into our house just to scare your brother?"

"No, I've had the spider as a pet for a few years now and he wasn't dangerous. He had been de-fanged."

"That's beside the point. You are telling me that because of a stupid joke, we are all in the hospital."

"Yes," Megan's well controlled tears were threatening to run wild. "I really didn't ..."

Megan's train of thought was interrupted by the presents of a new doctor, who had pulled Dr. Luke to one side. Megan and Audrey sat quietly, watching the two doctors talking. Every so often, one or both would look their way. After a few minutes, Dr. Luke returned to Megan's bedside.

"Dr. Slain was just filling me in on how the rest of your family is doing."

"And ..." Audrey asked as Megan squeezed her hand.

"Your son, Josh, he is in the wards at the moment. He has a broken leg and by the look of it, mild concussion. As for your son, Drake. He is in ICU for now. His injuries are a lot worse and until he comes to, we won't know how bad it is."

"And Walter, my husband?"

"I'm sorry, there wasn't anything we could do."

"What?" Megan asked. "What do you mean? Where is my Dad?"

"He's dead," Megan's mum's words cut deep and it hurt even more when Audrey pulled her hand away from Megan's. "Can I see Josh, please? He needs to know about his father."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I need to tell him."

"Mum, you are coming back. Mum?"

Megan watched as her mother disappeared beyond the curtain.

"Mum, I didn't mean it. It was only a harmless joke. Mum, please." Megan laid back on the bed, curling up into a ball. "It was only a joke. A harmless little joke. No one was supposed to have gotten hurt."

**The End**

**Thank you for reading and for reviewing my story.**


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